Hawthorn Crataegus aestivalis
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Hawthorn:
Previously known as:
- Crataegus luculenta
- Crataegus maloides
- Phonetic Spelling
- krah-TEE-gus es-TIV-ah-liss
- Description
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Mayhaw is a native hawthorn, a deciduous shrub in the rose family and found in shallow ponds, wet woods and seasonal swamps along the coastal plains of the southeastern USA and the mountain ridges to the west. It is one of the many species of Hawthorn found throughout North Carolina. Mayhaw, like other Hawthorns, can be grown as a large shrub or trained into a small tree. It is slow-growing to 30 to 40 feet tall with a rounded crown. It has long, straight thorns, showy clusters of white flowers that occur in early spring and are followed by edible red fruits that ripen earlier than other hawthorns from June to July.
Although it naturally grows in wet sites it is adaptable to the drier sites in the home landscape and is sometime grown as an ornamental. It prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade and is adaptable to soil types. Use as a specimen, hedge, screening or a small shade tree. Because it tolerates a wide variety of sites, this species can be used to stabilize banks and to give protection from erosion.
This plants serves as a host plant for the larvae of the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax), and the Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) butterflies.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Can be susceptible to rust. Mayhaw is the most disease resistant of the hawthorns. Twigs are thorny.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Crataegus
- Species:
- aestivalis
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The plant has little commercial value, but is sometimes used in herbal medicine. Wood is strong, tough, and hard, but rarely used.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern North America
- Distribution:
- North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant provides nectar for pollinators. It is a larval host plant for Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax), and Viceroy (Limenitis archippus). Red-spotted Purple and Viceroy rarely use this host plant in North Carolina. Deer will browse the stems.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- The most disease resistant hawthorn.
- Edibility:
- Fruits used to make mayhaw jelly and pies or can be dried. Frequently used and much prized in parts of southern N. America where it is often gathered in quantity from the wild. Its acid flavor adds to preserves and jellies
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 35 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Half to one inch fruits are fleshy and ripen earlier than other hawthorns. Red fruit displays from June to July. Some have sweet edible flesh surrounding seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- White 5-petaled flowers bloom from March to May either singularly or in clusters of 2-3. The fragrance can be pleasant to some, but unpleasant to others.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Two to four inch long dark green oval, wedge-shaped leaves are often three-lobed, notched on the edges, veined, and have red/brown undersides. Margins are toothed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Description:
- Bark is thin and grey. On old stems, it breaks up into thin, narrow scales. Crooked spiny branches.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Barrier
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Small Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
